A Different Sort of Marauder
by Page Library Page
Summary: Harry Potter AU. In a world where Severus is the 4th Marauder and Peter Pettigrew is a menace, can Voldemort be stopped before he kills James and Lily Potter?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Declaim  
**Fandom:** Harry Potter AU  
**Word prompt:** Declaim (to orate; to speak in a loud emotional manner)  
**Author's Note:** I don't 'physically' use declaim in the story. However, I felt it was a good word to describe Sirius Black's outgoing personality. Also, I like the idea of a universe where the Marauders (minus Pettigrew) befriend Severus and where he's the fourth Marauder. Just think... three Gryffindors, (one a Slytherin at heart) and a Slytherin all in cahoots… Yay!  
**Beta: **My good friend, Kim (punctuation), and my sister, Beenee (everything else). This story would not be what it is, if the both of you hadn't helped. Thanks Bunches!!!

* * *

"So, I hear you cursed Lucius Malfoy for trying to cut in line."

Severus turned around, glancing sharply at the boy standing before him. He had finally found an empty car on the Hogwarts Express and was thankful for the respite it would have given, had this boy not been drawn into speaking to him.

"Yes, what of it?" he asked, his hand twitching towards his wand.

"Nothing. Just thought it was pretty ballsy of you 's all," the black-haired boy said. "Mind if I join you?" he asked, stepping into the empty car, grinning as Severus followed.

"Well, it would seem you know who I am, but I don't know you." Severus said; his voice sullen and a little sarcastic.

The boy smirked, "I'm Sirius, Sirius Black." he said. Introducing himself as he held his hand out to Severus.

Severus gingerly shook the proffered hand.

He was about to speak when the door was thrown open, and three boys burst into the cabin. From the way they practically attacked Sirius, the first boy (obviously well-off) and the second (short and rat-like) both knew Sirius quite well, and the third (a quiet, unassuming boy) was apparently used to their antics from the way he smiled at them.

Severus crept towards the door. He didn't like the odds, should these miscreants try to attack him. Before he could slink away, though, Sirius called out to him. "Severus! Where're you going?" he asked. "These are my best mates, James Potter and Remus Lupin." He said, pointing at 'glasses' and the quiet boy. The rat-like boy made a noise of irritation.

"Oh yeah, that's Peter Patty-cake." Sirius said with a shrug.

"Pettigrew! You ass!" Rat-boy said angrily.

It looked as if Severus initial impression had been wrong. This Pettigrew was no friend of Sirius. No, it seemed as if he'd made himself into a tagalong to their group.

Severus watched curiously as Remus pulled a well-worn travel game of Wizard's chess from his pocket and began setting it up, sitting opposite Sirius and James, where they lounged, talking animatedly.

"Would you like to play?" he asked Severus. Severus agreed, and they started their game as Sirius and James caught up with each other's summer antics. "They'll be like that until we reach the school, most likely." Remus said to Severus as the game progressed. "No doubt, they'll be planning some extravagant prank to pull at the feast."

Leaning away from Pettigrew, Severus asked how Remus knew the two boys.

"It's a really boring, really long story." Remus said. He glanced at Pettigrew. "I'll have to tell it to you later."

Severus nodded. He could understand the reluctance to divulge personal information in the presence of an unknown, and he appreciated the offer for a later conversation.

When they arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the boys managed to lose their tagalong, and Severus relaxed significantly.

"My family has always been in Slytherin." Sirius was saying. "But the Potters are almost all Gryffindors. What about you, Severus?"

"My mother was in Ravenclaw." Severus told the other boys… his friends?

"Ravenclaw is a good house." Remus said. "I'm hoping to be sorted there."

"Well, I certainly can't see any of us in Hufflepuff!" James said, laughing loudly at the absurd thought. "I bet you'll be sorted into either Ravenclaw with Remus or into Slytherin. What do you think, Moony?" he asked Remus.

Severus puzzled at the strange nickname as Remus thought about his answer for a moment. At eleven years old, he certainly thought long and hard about some things. They hadn't managed to get very far into their chess game, what with Remus' thought out moves and Severus' constantly shifting strategies. 'Yes,' he thought, 'Ravenclaw would be perfect.'

"Potter, James!" "Gryffindor."

"Lupin, Remus!" "Gryffindor."

"Snape, Severus!" "Slytherin."

"Black, Sirius!" "Gryffindor."

**

* * *

**

Years later

"Congratulations, James! Lily!" Sirius was practically vibrating in his joy. "I can't believe that our "Master-Bachelor" James is going to be a Daddy." He laughed.

Remus and Severus hung back as Sirius, in all his exuberant glory, affectionately mauled their friend. Turning to Lily Evans-Potter, Severus spoke. "I find it quite strange that you would want to add another child to our little family." he teased, gesturing to where James and Sirius were roughhousing.

Both Lily and Remus laughed at that. "He really is just a great big kid, isn't he?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

The old gang, plus Lily stayed up all through the night, remembering the past and planning for the future. "We've talked about this a lot and Lily and I would like you to be the baby's godfather, Sirius." James said. "Remus? Severus? Would you be honorary godfathers?"

The three men were speechless. Not one of them knew anything about children, nor could they say no to James. With tears in his eyes, Sirius answered, "Yes, of course. I'm…" he broke off, "I'd be absolutely honored, James, Lily."

Severus looked to Remus. The werewolf nodded; he looked apprehensive. "Remus and I agree as well." Severus paused, "Does Lily know about Moony?" he asked, looking to James for an answer.

James looked at his feet for a moment, silent. "Moony. Remus, I couldn't keep this from Lily." He said, softly. "We're all with you when you change and I didn't feel right lying to my wife every month."

Remus was quiet.

"Remus?" Lily said, her voice gentle. "I don't judge you for circumstances beyond your control. And I would be grateful if you not only agreed to be my child's godfather, be to be my friend as well.

"You are a good man, Remus Lupin, and a loyal friend," she continued. "Please, say yes?"

Remus drew in a breath. "Yes, I agree to your request. Both of them."

**

* * *

**

One year later

"They're dead! How could you let this happen?!"

"Sirius, calm down." Albus Dumbledore implored. "You're scaring little Harry."

Sirius was seething. He was beyond angry. "How could this happen? What the hell happened? Who did you tell?" He looked to where Remus lay, unconscious. Severus, torn and bloody, sat next to the werewolf's bed, holding a sleeping toddler in his arms.

"I felt the Potter's needed more security." Dumbledore stalled. "I informed some of the Order of the situation and set up a watch on their home in Godric's Hollow."

"Who did you tell?" Sirius and Dumbledore looked in surprise at Severus. Thus far, other than to deny anyone access to Harry, he had been virtually unresponsive to them.

"Moody, of course, and Frank and Alice Longbottom all volunteered." Dumbledore said. When Sirius and Severus both glared at him, he continued hesitantly. "Peter Pettigrew was there also."

"What the fuck were you thinking!!" Sirius demanded. "Pettigrew's had it in for James since school. He hates… hated James for marrying Lily."

"Peter came to me a few weeks ago. He said that he'd been misguided by his friends; that he wanted to spy for the order." Dumbledore said.

"He volunteered valuable information on Voldemort's movements."

"You stupid, naïve old man," Severus growled. "I have been to the Dark Lord's meetings, and Pettigrew is without a doubt one of his most loyal followers." He looked up, into Dumbledore's shocked eyes. "Yes, I'm a so-called Death-eater. Unlike Pettigrew, though, I joined 'them' as a spy for the Order."

"We had a plan that was well-researched and thought out and it would have worked. Voldemort would have been captured or killed, and James and Lily would never have been caught up in this war.

"They'd just started their family. They had plans, were going to do **something **with their lives!" he cried.

Harry woke at Severus' outburst, but didn't cry out. Instead, he seemed to understand that his honorary godfather was in pain, and he reached up, gently touching his tiny hands to Severus' face.

"I think you've made more than enough decisions, Albus." Sirius said, "Please, just go."

Abus Dumbledore left the room. He looked as if the weight of the world was pressing down on his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.

"You'll have to forgive him at some point in time." Remus' soft voice said. "Albus' greatest fault is his desire to see the good in everyone, even when there's none to be found."

Severus barely contained his sobs. He'd done so much as a spy for the Order, and it felt as if all of his work was for naught. He moved to the bed with Harry, joining the injured Remus and Sirius.

"It'll only get worse from here." He said, curling into the warm pile of bodies, comforted by the nearness of his best, only, friends in the world.

The three grief-stricken friends watched over Harry as he slept, thankful for his innocence, for his mother's love. And as they drifted into sleep, each man swore to protect the remaining Potter and to avenge James and Lily, whatever the cost.

**THE END?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Declaim  
**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
**Blanket Disclaimer:** I write stories for FUN, not money. I don't own any of the characters or places I write with, I just play with them. Again, NOT MINE!  
**Author's note:** I LOVE REVIEWS! I eat them for breakfast to give me energy for my day! Creative Work of the Day for Tuesday, January 5, 2010.  
**Summary:** I like the idea of a universe where the Marauders (minus Pettigrew) befriend Severus and where he's the fourth Marauder. Just think... three Gryffindors, (one a Slytherin at heart) and a Slytherin all in cahoots… Yay!  
**Warnings:** Un-Betaed, work-in-progress

* * *

"You damn fool! Insane sone of a git, what the bloody hell were you thinking?"

Severues reflected, and not for the first time, that Sirius Black was an obnoxious twat. He gathered up the shreds of his self-control and turned to face the maddening Gryffindor.

"Black," he said, acknowledging the other man's uninvited presence in his potions lab. "Would you be so kind as to explain just what it is you are doing here?"

Severus did not move around the table as he spoke; he wasn't an idiot. He knew that Sirius Black was unpredictable at best, and when angered, he was so much worse than a child in a dangerous potions lab... liable to explode, hugely and messily, with injuries to those around him almost guaranteed.

Severus was also keenly aware of the nearly paralyzing pain radiating from his arm. He'd made a choice last night, when the opportunity presented itself. He could only hope it was the right one. The Slytherin didn't notice Sirius advancing on him until the other man was right in front of him, reaching out to him.

"Severus," he said. "Please, tell me you didn't go through with that fool plan of yours. There are other options!" Sirius was pleading with his friend, begging to hear only good things. He'd been fighting on the frontlines of this war for far too long and had seen far too many of their friends die right efore his eyes. He needed to know that his closest friends, the people most dear to him, were safe.

But as he stood there, staring into his friends eyes, he knew exactly what Severus had done.

"Oh, sweet Merlin!" Sirius' voice was strangled, but, as was his way, he tried hard to joke. "Moony is going to kick your arse for this, you do know that, right?" he asked, attempting a smile.

Severus could only nod in reply. He moved slowly, careful not to jar his damaged arm, and guided Sirius into one of the chairs by the fire. In truth, he was glad that it was Sirius who'd found out first. Coming from a family of predominantly dark wizards, Sirius could understand the sacrifices battle called for. James would have given him a long, drawn-out speech about what a bad decision this was and how could Severus be so ignorant? Lily would have almost immediately started researching, looking for a way to reverse the problem. And Remus? Well, Moony would have hexed him first, lectured him second about idiocy and dark magic, and asked questions third. Sirius, thankfully, had only been shocked.

Once he had Sirius settled in the chair, Severus knelt before him and pulled up his sleeve; he would not be ashamed of this decision. The two men stared at the gruesome mark in Severus' flesh, both uncharacteristically silent. The wound was red, inflamed, as if it had been continually agravated since it's creation.

"I had to do it, Sirius. You know, just as well as I, that we need someone we can trust on the inside. Someone with the right talents to appeal to the Dark lord." Severus paused, drawing in a ragged breath. "While I was out yesterday, picking up some supplies, Lucius Malfoy approached me..."

"Damn it, Severus!" It seemed that all Sirius was doing tonight was yelling at his friend. "You were in Knockturn Alley again, weren't you? Do you know how many people have been killed there? Or how many just disappear? What were you thinking?"

Guilt flashed across Severus' face and he looked away. He was truly sorry for frightening his friend, but, "It's still not right." He said, "I haven't found the right combination yet and I know I'm close to it!" He didn't have to explain what he meant. After all, they were both close friends with Severus' _subject alpha _and they both knew that Severus would not stop until he'd created a solution.

"Sev," Sirius clasped his friend's shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug. "Damn it, Severus, what have you done? What have you done?"

Tears were falling from Sirius' eyes in a steady stream of silver. He didn't notice them though, as he clung to one of his closest friends.

* * *

"James?! Lily? Are you there?" A voice called frantically from the fireplace. When no reply came, the voice called out again, even louder, "James! Get your arse down here right now! We need to talk! It's Severus, he's gone and done something Gryffindor-ish!"

'Oh, that isn't good," James thought groggily, coming awake slowly. Lily Potter stirred slightly as her husband of a mere week and a half stood and stumbled out of their bedroom, heading for the living area.

"What the hell do you want, Sirius?" he snarled, only partially angry with his friend.

"James? Good, I was wondering when, or even if, you'd manage to pull yourself from your lovely, lovely wife." At James' glare, Sirius pressed on, "It's Severus, James. The idiot did it! After we told him not too, he bloody went and did it anyway!

"I need you and Moony to get here as soon as you can. Maybe we can find a way out of this mess; we've had to get out of tougher scrapes before, right?"

James could only nod, helplessly agreeing with Sirius' frantic words. Yes, if Severus had done it, if he had actually joined Voldomort's Death Eaters, then the Marauders would stand behind him. For years the four had been inseparable and this was just another test... they would survive.

* * *

TBC...


End file.
